KATHY WINSLOW ’04/09, BOARD CHAIR
There has never been a better time to be a Shocker! There is an incredible momentum at Wichita State created by President Bardo, and we see the same momentum echoed in the accomplishments of our Alumni Association.
This spring we kicked off our 100th anniversary with Homecoming 2013 and by honoring five of our top Shockers at the 57th Annual Alumni Awards banquet. We are so proud of our remarkable Final Four basketball team and coaches, and appreciate the great ride they allowed us to share with them on the road to Atlanta. Also, I offer my thanks and congratulations to Debbie Kennedy and our association staff for making this such a memorable experience for everyone. I know they put in long hours of hard work in arranging a truly remarkable series of travel opportunities and events for all of the faithful Shocker Nation – especially that Final Four “mega-rally” in Atlanta!
The alumni association’s yearlong “A Century of Shockers” celebration continues. Rockin’ the Roundhouse on Sept. 28 will be one big centennial birthday bash. We hope this milestone further connects you to the Wichita State community. As you share in this celebration with us, I invite you to share your fondest Shocker memories with us – and join us in creating new memories together.
DEBORAH KENNEDY ’94, PRESIDENT AND CEO
The incredible run to the Final Four by the WSU men’s basketball team, as exhilarating as it was, also proved to be extremely hectic for the WSU Alumni Association, because even for the most optimistic among us, it was not something any of us had planned for.
Now that things have settled down a bit, and I have had a chance to gain a little perspective, I want to offer a few thoughts on what it all has meant to the alumni association.
First of all, it was pure and absolute fun. When the Shockers began knocking off names like Pittsburgh, Gonzaga, La Salle and, finally, Ohio State, the excitement just grew and grew. On our first trip to Salt Lake City, we planned a reception for the Shocker fans there, sendoffs for the team before each game and threw a celebration after the win over No. 1 Gonzaga.
When the Shockers moved on to the Sweet 16, we had no trouble filling a charter plane for the trip to Los Angeles. Outfitted with our Play Angry shirts, we were still cheering “We’re Not Satisfied!” We held pep rallies before each game, and the Shocker Sound basketball band, the spirit squad and dance team were front and center in helping us create a great atmosphere. I also want to thank Coach Gregg Marshall for his appearances. Although he was unable to join us for our Final Four pre-game rally, his cooperation and the enthusiasm and humor he brought to all our other rallies is much appreciated.
Our charter participation grew to three large planes for the Final Four trip to Atlanta. We secured a large venue next door to the Georgia Dome for our rally, and received generous sponsorship assistance from Koch Industries, its subsidiary Georgia Pacific and from WSU President Bardo’s office. What an event it was! By all estimates, there were some 5,000 Shocker faithful in attendance, and the atmosphere was electric. Among the speakers was Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, and more than 20 former Shocker players joined us.
We now say, “We’re Satisfied,” and looking forward to next year.
